Monocotyledons

Monocotyledons, commonly known as monocots, are one of the two primary groups of flowering plants, the other being eudicotyledons or eudicots. Monocots are characterised by having a single cotyledon in their seedlings, in contrast to eudicots, which have two cotyledons. Emerging from a single common ancestor, monocots are thought to have evolved 100-120 million years ago, following the initial diversification of flowering plants. They exhibit a unique arrangement of vascular tissue known as an atactostele, where vascular bundles are scattered rather than arranged in concentric rings. Most monocots are herbaceous and lack the ability to increase stem width through the vascular cambium found in woody eudicots.

Eudicotyledons

Eudicotyledons, or eudicots, are a major group of flowering plants distinguished by having seeds with two cotyledons or embryonic leaves. This group includes approximately 199,350 species. Unlike monocots, which have a single cotyledon, eudicots have two. Key differences between eudicots and monocots include:

Quick guides

Flowers: Monocots typically have flower parts in multiples of three, while eudicots have parts in multiples of four or five.

Stems: Vascular bundles in monocot stems are scattered, whereas in eudicots, they are arranged in a ring.

Secondary Growth: Monocots generally do not exhibit secondary growth in their stems, whereas eudicots frequently do.

Pollen: Monocot pollen has a single furrow or pore, whereas eudicot pollen has three.

Roots: Monocot roots are adventitious, arising from various parts of the plant, whereas eudicot roots develop from the radicle.

Leaves: Monocot leaves feature parallel major veins, while eudicot leaves have a reticulated or branching vein pattern.